Full of Spectacular Views and Power Spots! 11 Popular Places to Visit Around Lake Biwa

Lake Biwa shows different faces in every season, but the most recommended times to visit are spring and fall.
The lakeside is home to many famous cherry blossom and autumn foliage spots, so in spring and fall you can enjoy flower viewing or fall leaves along with sightseeing around Lake Biwa.

Lake Biwa covers a wide area, so access will vary depending on which part of the lake you plan to visit.
That said, the two stations most commonly used for access to Lake Biwa are Otsu Station and Maibara Station.
Both are easy to reach, and there are many sightseeing spots around the stations or in places with convenient access from them.
From Tokyo, Maibara Station is the easier option to reach, taking Approx. 2 hours 15 minutes by Shinkansen.
From Osaka and Kyoto, Otsu Station is easier to access, taking Approx. 40 minutes by train from Osaka.
From Kyoto Station, it takes Approx. 10 minutes by train.
Since it can be reached in a short time from both Osaka and Kyoto, combining a visit to Lake Biwa with sightseeing in Osaka or Kyoto is also recommended.

If you plan to visit sightseeing spots around Lake Biwa, the main means of transportation will be buses.
However, if the distance between spots is long, trains are also worth considering.
A rental car trip is also recommended if you want the freedom to fully enjoy the grand natural scenery around Lake Biwa.

Biwako Valley is a nature resort at an elevation of Approx. 1,100 meters, located in the Hira mountain range on the western shore of Lake Biwa in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, with excellent access from the Keihanshin area.
It is a popular spot where you can enjoy a wide range of activities, including a ski resort in winter.
There are also activities available year-round, such as the Zipline Adventure, and during the green season, various highland activities such as Skywalker.

Biwako Terrace is a nature resort overlooking Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, from an elevation of Approx. 1,100 meters.
At the two terraces spread across the summits of Mt. Uchimi and Mt. Horai, you can spend a luxurious, relaxing time enjoying a meal while taking in spectacular views.
On the Lake Biwa side of the summit, Biwako Terrace “The Main” spreads out before you.
This area features the stepped wooden deck “Grand Terrace,” which offers sweeping views of the lake, and “North Terrace,” which overlooks the northern part of the lake, each with spacious wooden decks and beautiful water features.

Standing in the northwestern area of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan by area, this is the oldest grand shrine in Omi and is said to have been founded more than 2,000 years ago.
Its vermilion grand torii gate stands in the lake across Route 161, and because the scene resembles Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, Hiroshima Prefecture, it is also called the “Itsukushima of Omi.”
In recent years, the mystical view of the grand torii seemingly floating on Lake Biwa has become popular on social media, attracting many young visitors as a scenic power spot.

Chikubu Island is a small island with a circumference of a little over 2 kilometers, floating Approx. 6 kilometers offshore in the northern part of Lake Biwa.
It is home to Hogonji Temple, counted among Japan’s three great Benzaiten temples, and Tsukubusuma Shrine.
Long revered as an island where gods dwell, it has attracted the faith of many people and in recent years has also become popular as a power spot.

Kaimonzan Mangetsuji Temple, a Zen temple of the Daitokuji school of Rinzai Buddhism, stands on the lakeshore south of Biwako Ohashi Bridge. Within its grounds, a hall stands at the end of a bridge extending out over Lake Biwa.
Called Ukimido because it appears to float on the lake’s surface, it is one of Lake Biwa’s most outstanding scenic spots.
Its history is old, and it is said to have been built in the late Heian period by Genshin (also known as Eshin Sozu), a monk of Mt. Hiei and one of the seven great masters of Jodo Shinshu, to pray for safety on the lake and the salvation of all beings.

Along Prefectural Road Koaraji Makinosawa Line, about 500 metasequoia trees line both sides of a straight 2.4-kilometer road, forming what is known as Metasequoia Avenue.
It serves as the approach road to Makino Highland, where a spectacular view unfolds of the tree-lined road set against the distant mountains of the Nosaka range.
Its beautiful appearance through the seasons, from fresh buds in spring and deep greenery in summer to autumn colors and snow-covered trees in winter, captivates visitors.

The Kurokabe Square area, developed with glass shops, hands-on workshops, restaurants, and more, has become a famous destination visited by as many as 2 million tourists each year.
The core facility of the area is the “Kurokabe Glass Shop (Kurokabe Building No. 1).”
This stately Western-style building with black plaster walls was built in 1900 as the Nagahama branch of the Daihyaku Sanju National Bank, and in 1989 it was reborn as a glass shop displaying and selling about 30,000 glass items from Japan and abroad.

This vast temple complex covers the entire area of Mt. Hiei at an elevation of 848 meters and was founded in 788 by Saicho, who established the Tendai sect of Buddhism.
It was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1994.
It consists of three areas, Todo, Saito, and Yokawa, with around 100 halls and pagodas scattered throughout.
In Todo, the main area, stands Konpon Chudo, Enryakuji’s main hall and a designated National Treasure, where the “Eternal Dharma Light” first lit by Saicho has continued to burn for nearly 1,200 years without going out.

Hikone Castle is also famous as a “recycled castle,” built using materials and stone walls from nearby castles such as Otsu Castle in Otsu City, Sawayama Castle in Hikone City, Azuchi Castle in Omihachiman City, and Nagahama Castle in Nagahama City, including its three-story, three-tier-roof keep relocated from Otsu Castle.
Among its features, the keep standing atop Mt. Hikone is one of only 12 original castle keeps remaining in Japan, and in 1952 it was designated a National Treasure together with the attached turret and Tamon turret.

Biwako Kisen lets you fully enjoy cruising on Lake Biwa.
There are three regular cruise courses: the Michigan Cruise, the Chikubushima Cruise, and the Gurutto Biwako Island Tour.
The Michigan Cruise departs from Otsu Port on a large sightseeing boat and circles the southern part of Lake Biwa.
On board, sightseeing guidance and live music performances add to the fun of the voyage, and at the restaurant, you can enjoy a buffet-style meal (reservation required).

A toll road with a total length of 8.1 kilometers, connecting Tanotani Pass in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, to the summit of Mt. Hiei.
Trees line the road running along the beautiful mountainside of Mt. Hiei, and you can enjoy scenery that changes with the seasons, from cherry blossoms in spring and fresh greenery in summer to autumn leaves and snowy views in winter. It is a perfect spot to fully enjoy nature.

Yumotokan is a long-established hot spring inn in Ogoto Onsen, a hot spring area with a history of 1,200 years that flourished as the foothills retreat of Mt. Hiei.
Its signature hot springs include two open-air baths, the top-floor scenic open-air bath “Gesshin no Yu,” where you can bathe while looking out over Lake Biwa, and the rustic “Togen Shoyo,” as well as two large indoor scenic baths with daily gender swaps: “Kobo no Yu,” which overlooks Lake Biwa through large windows, and “Sanbo no Yu,” where you can bathe while viewing the beautiful form of Mt. Hiei.

Despite its excellent location just a short walk from Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu Station, this resort hotel stands on the shore of Lake Biwa and offers lake views from inside the building.
Five types of guest rooms are available, and every room offers a panoramic view of Lake Biwa.
Beyond the lake, Mt. Hiei and the Hira mountain range spread out, creating a truly spectacular contrast of blue and green.

This resort hotel stands by the shores of Lake Biwa, and not only from the guest rooms but from anywhere inside the building, you can enjoy sweeping views of the lake stretching out right before your eyes.
Its theme, “Born in Shiga,” can be felt throughout the property as well as in the food, making it a popular place to enjoy a luxurious stay away from everyday life.

A 38-story high-rise hotel designed by architect Kenzo Tange.
It also features one of the largest convention halls in Japan and is used for a wide range of events, exhibitions, and international conferences.
The guest rooms are arranged across three floors, the EIZAN Floor, Sky Floor, and Lake Floor, and in every room you can relax while enjoying views of Lake Biwa and mountain ranges such as the Hira Mountains.